When you get solar power installed you often need a new meter. The rules governing this meter are made by the local network. The electricity retailer organises installation and readings, then a third party company installs the meter. This can cause frustration when there is a metering issue – as Margie in Tasmania found out recently.

In this week’s post, we’re hoping we can help resolve a problem for a customer named Margie, who found herself falling between the cracks after installing new solar panels in Tasmania. [Read more…]

What are the rules about deposits when buying solar power systems?

This post is going to be light on words, but the topic is worth covering. It arose from a couple of questions SolarQuotes founder Finn Peacock asked me to research: what’s a “normal” start-work deposit to offer a solar PV installer, and is there deposit protection for consumers? [Read more…]

On a Friday afternoon early in July, I was pleased to hear the ABC’s current affairs radio program PM cover cyber-security in the small business sector. It’s impossible for a four-minute radio spot to be comprehensive, but building awareness is a slow process. [Read more…]

6.66 kW is the largest solar system most people are allowed (without resorting to export limiters). How many panels do you need to reach the magic number?

If someone casually asks me how much solar they should install, I may simply tell them they should fill their roof with as much capacity as they reasonably can.  But after learning the details, I often recommend installing as close to 6.66 kilowatts as possible. [Read more…]

Is the solar industry full of shonks like the ABC implied? Should you be worried?

Who saw the 7:30 report last night? Its lead story was questioning the safety and quality of the Australian solar power industry. Leigh Sales promised to reveal “the dark side of Australia’s solar obsession”. [Read more…]

On Monday John Inglis from Positronic¹ Solar had a guest post published on our blog where he called for 100% of new rooftop solar installations to be inspected by the state or territory’s electrical regulator.  [Read more…]

This is a guest post by John Inglis, owner of Positronic Solar. John is a veteran of the solar industry. Rumour has it that his involvement predates the invention of the sun dial. Take it away John… [Read more…]

If you want consumption monitoring you should buy Solar Analytics instead of a Fronius Smart Meter. If you need Fronius export limiting you should buy both. Here’s why…

UPDATE: Solar Analytics now integrates with the Fronius Smart Meter. That means you don’t have to decide between Solar Analytics and Fronius Smart Meter anymore. You can buy a Fronius inverter with Fronius Smart Meter and then Solar Analytics can talk directly with the Fronius Smart Meter. No need to buy the Solar Analytics Hardware.

I love Fronius. The last solar power system I bought came with a Fronius Primo inverter. ¹

I also love Solar Analytics. It is the best monitoring system I’ve ever used. I love the way it proactively tells you if there is a problem with your PV system. I love the number showing you how well your solar installation is performing from 0-100%. [Read more…]

CER Audit: Over 20% Of Solar Installations Are Sub-Standard And More Than 2% Are Dangerous. 0% of installers suspended by CER.

Australia’s Renewable Energy Target or RET was audited last year and a report released last month.  It’s a 25,000 word report so I’m not going into everything it covers.  There’s way too much detail for that.  It’s enormous.  If you wanted me to write that many words it would take me all day.  Even longer if you wanted them in coherent sentences. [Read more…]

If you suspect your solar power system has poor performance – here’s what you need to check.

Although I personally can’t think of anything in life more exciting than getting a new solar power system installed, I sincerely hope you can – otherwise you’d be as weird as me.  Having said that, even those who score 10 out of 10 on the Voight-Kampff normal human test should feel excited when they get their first solar system.  Unfortunately, this excitement sometimes gives way to confusion and heartbreak if they erroneously come to the conclusion that their new solar panels are not performing as well as they should. [Read more…]